1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally drawn to cement finishing boards and more particularly to such boards, which are relatively free of cement adherence to the board and having a soft knee holder on each board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the construction industry, concrete slabs are commonly finished by hand troweling. The work is usually done by assuming a full kneeling position and using one or two hand trowels as the workman moves rearward across the surface of the uncured cement surface. Working under these conditions requires some form of protection for the workman""s knees both in terms of support on the surface of the soft concrete and from the standpoint of cushioning or easing the pressure on the workman""s knees over sustained periods of time since big cement jobs may be as large as a football field. In addition, the support apparatus or board holding the knee support must also be such as to avoid as much damage as possible to the soft surface of the uncured cement as the finisher moves along the cement. This damage usually comes from cement adherence to the board. Two different types of concrete are used for indoor and outdoor finishing namely non air-entrained and air-entrained concrete respectively. The aerated outdoor concrete is relatively free of adherence to the different types of finishing boards other than wood while the indoor concrete is especially adherent to wood, metal and even some plastic boards. U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,046 teaches one type of less adherent board which is formed as a single board made of polyurethane foam and having a smooth plastic cover there over. There is a loop at the end of the board, but it is used for carrying the board rather than as a toehold. There are no kneepads and the finisher places both legs on the single board and moves along the cement on the single board. This coating while being somewhat slippery and non-adherent to cement quickly wears out and is subject to damage from the concrete surface. A strong one-piece board material, which minimizes concrete adherence thereto for both air entrained and non air entrained concrete, was not found in the prior art and was greatly needed.
Since a lot of time is spent by cement finishers on their knees in finishing the cement, a soft knee support is vital to prevent fatigue and knee damage. Soft kneepads mounted thereto are known methods of providing such soft knee support. Attempts have been made to combine the soft cushion type knee protectors with hard surface flotation boards made of wood, stainless steel and plastic, which accommodate both the knee and the toe of each individual leg of the user. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 353,702 teach a kneepad mounted on individual boards with the two boards connected by a couple of rods and having rollers for easily moving along a surface. However, these kneepads are directly mounted to the board surface and do not provide sufficient soft support for the knee. Also, the boards being tied together prevent the individual knee motion required for cement finishing and the rollers would score the unfinished cement instead of floating thereon.
A careful review of the above patent reference thus shows that while it is known to use some type of smooth plastic board for retaining a cement finishers knees and toes thereon to easily move along a cement surface there is no teaching of a particular type of board material which is non-adherent to both air-entrained and non air entrained cement. Also, while it is known to place kneepads and toe supports on finishing boards for retaining legs and toes thereon, there is no teaching of splitting a cement finishing board into two independent boards made from such non-adhering material and with each having an air mounted kneepad and an elevated loop for positively retaining a knee and toe on each of such boards.
In view of the foregoing it is seen that what was needed was a flexible knee support mounted on a non-cement adhering board which would support the knee in a contoured cushion air suspended from the board to allow the cushion freedom of movement in both the x and y directions and not being subject to the hard resistance abrasions from mounting the soft knee support directly to the hard surface board.
The present invention solves the problems associated with prior art cement finishing boards and others by providing a cushioned knee support mounted on a non-cement adhering solid board which supports the knee in a contoured cushion air suspended above the board to allow the cushion freedom of movement in both the x and y directions and providing a soft knee support. This is done by providing a pair of angled support members spacedly extending up from the board and having a strong canvas cloth affixed across these two members to cover the space there between. The cushioned knee support is affixed to the canvas cover to allow two degrees of movement to the cushion while being suspended from the board to provide a flexible air cushioned knee support which moves with the direction of knee movement. The angle of the supports is made to match the angle of the shin as the cement finisher kneels on the board cushions to relieve any strain to the leg.
Located at the other end of the board is an adjustable toe support, which comprises a loop member elevated from the face of the board and being sufficiently large to allow a work shoe having rubber boots thereon to fit therein. The toe support assembly is made adjustable to allow the toe support to be moved forward or back to match the leg length of the finisher. The toe holder is also sufficiently elevated from the board surface to allow the toe of the finisher to fit hereunder to allow an upright walk from the cement surface by the finisher using the board as a snowshoe.
In view of the foregoing it is seen that one aspect of the present invention is to provide a solid cement finishers board made from non-cement adhering material, which is non-adhering to both air-entrained and non air-entrained cement.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a cement finishers board having an air suspended knee cushion support not in direct contact with the board.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a cement finishers board having the knee cushion support angled at the shin angle of the leg when the finisher is kneeling on the board.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a cement finishers board having an elevated looped toe holder at the end of the board for allowing the toes of the finisher to fit hereunder to allow an upright walk by the finisher with the board on his toe.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a cement finishers board having an adjustable toe holder at the end of the board for accommodating different leg shin lengths.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a cement finishers board having an adjustable toe holder at the end of the board with a loop toe holder fitting a work shoe with a rubber boot thereon.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood upon a review of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the accompanying drawings.